Requirements/Sources

Although biotin is a necessary nutrient, we usually get enough from bacteria living in the digestive tract. Severe biotin deficiency has been seen in people who frequently eat large quantities of raw egg white. Raw egg white contains a protein that blocks the absorption of biotin. Fortunately, cooked egg white does not present this problem.

The official US and Canadian recommendations for daily intake of biotin are as follows:

There is some evidence that slight biotin deficiency may tend to occur during normal pregnancy.
9
For this reason,
pregnant women
are advised to take a prenatal vitamin that contains the recommended amount of biotin.

Therapeutic Dosages

For people with diabetes, the usual recommended dosage of biotin is 7,000 to 15,000 mcg daily.

For treating "cradle cap" (a scaly head rash often found in infants), the usual dosage of biotin is 6,000 mcg daily,
given to the nursing mother
(not the child). A lower dosage of 3,000 mcg daily is used to treat brittle fingernails and toenails.

Therapeutic Uses

All the proposed uses of biotin discussed here are speculative, based on highly incomplete evidence.

Very weak evidence, too weak to rely upon at all, has been used to support that theory that biotin supplements are helpful for
brittle nails
.
4,5,6

On the basis of virtually no evidence at all, biotin has been proposed for treating cradle cap in infants.

There are indirect indications that individuals taking
antiseizure medications
might benefit from biotin supplementation at nutritional doses.
7,8
However, it has been suggested that biotin should be taken at least 2 hours before or after the medication dose, to avoid potential interference with the medication's absorption. In addition, excessive biotin supplementation (above nutritional needs) should be avoided, because it might possibly interfere with seizure control.
Note:
All these proposed interactions are quite speculative, and even if they do exist, may not be important enough to make a difference in real life.

Safety Issues

Biotin appears to be quite safe. However, maximum safe dosages for young children, pregnant or nursing women, or those with severe liver or kidney disease have not been established.

Interactions You Should Know About

If you are taking:

Anticonvulsant medications
:
You may need extra biotin, but do not take more than the dosage recommendations listed in the
Requirements/Sources
section. In addition, take the vitamin 2 to 3 hours apart from the medication.

Revision Information

This content is reviewed regularly and is updated when new and relevant evidence is made available. This information is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with questions regarding a medical condition.